Researchers from Indonesia, led by Ella Violinza, found that sleep paralysis—a frightening state in which consciousness awakens while the body remains immobile—isn’t as common among students as previously thought. They studied the prevalence of this phenomenon among 137 first-year students beginning their journey in studying medicine. The survey results showed that only 18% of these students had experienced sleep paralysis.
There may be a simple explanation: at the beginning of their studies, young people have not yet fully immersed themselves in their new lifestyle, with its stresses and irregular sleep. In addition, a significant portion of the lessons during the study period were conducted online. Compared to in-person classes, online learning involves fewer emotions and makes it easier to maintain a sleep schedule. However, with age and increased workload, sleep paralysis may become a more frequent occurrence in a student’s life.
Interestingly, the authors found that women are more susceptible to sleep paralysis than men. They suggest this is because the female body reacts more acutely to stressful situations, which can lead to sleep disturbances and, as a result, sleep paralysis. Scientists are calling for increased efforts to prevent sleep disorders in students, especially in women.
Have you noticed that sleep paralysis happens more often during your college years?
The article was published in March 2025 on the Universitas Kusuma Husada Surakarta website.
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